® 
       TRICARE Choices 
       in the United States
       OCTOBER 2021
                                                                                     HANDBOOK
                                                            Your TRICARE Options by Sponsor Status   4
       TRICARE offers comprehensive,                        Health Care Options                      6
       affordable health care, dental, 
       and pharmacy coverage to meet                        TRICARE Pharmacy Program                13
       your changing needs.
                                                            Dental and Vision Options               14
                             Welcome to  
                             TRICARE 
                             TRICARE is the Department of Defense’s premier health care program 
                             serving 9.6 million active duty service members, retired service members, 
                             National Guard and Reserve members, family members, and survivors 
                             worldwide. As a TRICARE beneficiary, you have access to the health care 
                             you need wherever you are.
                             TRICARE brings together military hospitals and clinics with a network of 
                             civilian providers to offer you medical, pharmacy, and dental options that 
                             meet your changing needs.
                             TRICARE partners with civilian regional contractors to administer your 
                             TRICARE benefit in two U.S. regions (East and West) and one overseas 
                             region. Your regional contractor is your go-to resource for information and 
                             assistance. 
                             This handbook outlines the TRICARE program options that may be available to 
                             you based on who you are, your location, and your entitlement to Medicare. 
                             We stand ready to deliver quality health 
                             care to those who protect our country 
                             every day—our nation’s finest. We are 
                             proud to serve you.
                                        Take the Publications Survey
                                        Take the brief publications survey by using the QR code to the 
                                        left or by clicking on “Publications Satisfaction Survey” at  
                                        www.tricare.mil/publications.
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                                                                                                    TRICARE Meets  
                                                                                                    the Minimum  
                                                                                                    Essential Coverage  
               KEEP YOUR DEERS INFORMATION UP TO DATE                                               Requirement under the  
               Eligibility for TRICARE is determined by the services and shown in the               Affordable Care Act
               Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). DEERS is 
               a database of service members and dependents worldwide who are                       Most TRICARE plans meet the 
               eligible for military benefits.                                                      Affordable Care Act requirement 
               To use TRICARE, first make sure your DEERS record is up to date                      for minimum essential coverage. 
               at https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil.
                                                                                                    You can find other health 
               TRICARE COVERED SERVICES                                                             care coverage options at 
               This handbook describes the health care, dental, and pharmacy                        www.healthcare.gov.
               options TRICARE offers. These options differ in terms of the 
               providers you see, how you get care, costs, and whether you file 
               claims. Generally, you have the same covered services, including 
               preventive, mental health, maternity, and pharmacy services, with 
               any TRICARE program option. Copayments or cost-shares may apply 
               for certain covered services depending on your program option and 
               beneficiary status. For a full list of covered services,  
               go to www.tricare.mil/coveredservices. For costs, go to 
               www.tricare.mil/costs.
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                 YOUR TRICARE OPTIONS BY SPONSOR STATUS
                  Your TRICARE health care options can 
                  change if you move, have a life event like 
                  getting married, or have a status change 
                  like a sponsor retiring from service. Use 
                  the following graphic to determine your 
                  options based on sponsor status.                                       SPONSOR STATUS                                                                                 HEALTH CARE OPTIONS
                  FIND MORE INFORMATION
                            You can get more information 
                            about your TRICARE benefit at 
                            www.tricare.mil/publications or  
                            by calling your regional contractor.                              Active Duty
                            Manage your TRICARE benefit                                    Includes National Guard  
                            through the TRICARE website at                           and Reserve members called or ordered 
                                                                                     to active duty for more than 30 days for 
                            www.tricare.mil, where you can get to                    a preplanned mission or in support of a 
                            secure services, see what’s covered,                            contingency operation
                            find a provider, and much more. 
                  We encourage you to use these resources to 
                  take full advantage of the TRICARE programs 
                  available to you. 
                                                                                        Separated from Service 
                                                                                              (non-retirement)
                       NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE
                       Qualified non-active duty members of the Selected 
                       Reserve and Retired Reserve
                       Sponsor and family member options:
                       •  TRICARE Reserve Select
                       •  TRICARE Retired Reserve
                       •  TRICARE Young Adult
                       See the TRICARE Choices for National Guard                              Retired
                       and Reserve Handbook for more information  
                       at www.tricare.mil/publications.
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